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"But I… not strong… Hurt… in trouble… I aed… I am no free"

As I tried to s the lus, my mamma slid her hand over mine and whispered in her thick accent, "I aood… I worry… you are no… in good place…"

An absolute gutting pain sliced through my heart at her words I didn’t want her to die, but I couldn’t stand seeing her like this… so broken… so weak… so confused but still thinking about us boys

"I prouiro," I assured

"He needs out… ti prego…"

"Who, Maht as I tried to catch what she was saying

Mahting… worrying, and in seconds, her labored breathing evened out

Making sure she was comfortable, I backed away fro a rosary, his fingersa prayer

Without saying a word, hemask contraption He moved to where she lay and, in moments, fixed it over her face All the time, I watched hi sounded and oxygen began pouring through to Ma Mamma’s lifeless hand, Axel stood to face s She ain’t breathing right no more" He whistled low "Dropped another couple ’a G’s on this ot, I asked, "Where the fk did all the blood co to die and shit? What the hell’s happened?"

Axel flicked his thumb toward Levi’s room and immediately dropped his eyes There was sadness there but a whole load of guilt too

My stohtened in apprehension

"Fuck, Axe, what’ve you done?" I asked, not wanting a reply, and pounded through to Levi’s tiny roo the door on his wall as I pushed it open

"Lev!" I shouted and flew to his side

There, on his narrow bed, was Levi Fourteen-year-old Levi--pale, battered, and bruised His eyes were almost swollen shut and crusted with dried blood, his fair hair ot e across his sto with blood

Fuck He’d been knifed

"Lev," I said and, dropping to ripped his hand Levi moaned in pain in his sleep and tried tosoon calht for the drive-by We knee didn’t act first, we’d be sitting ducks After you took your bitch home, we decided to take two cars Blitz the fkers Lev was needed, kid You know the score Every 9ritted until I swore they were gonna crack I couldn’t say shit in response for fear I’d lose control and end up attacking s’ turf, the fkers aiting Well, six of them were; there was only five of us It’d been a setup False infor the rear car’s tires to hell until it rolled to the side of the road, where they dragged the guys out onto the street Lev was in that car with Alberto, and Barton, the leader of the Kings, drew out his knife I didn’t get there quick enough, and he sliced Lev across the stouys wailed on hi breath "I threw hiot hiot the fk outta there before the cops were called Used the last of Ma him stitched up"

"And who stitched that shit show on your cheek?" I asked

"Got old man Brown from trailer twenty-one to do it Gave hilanced down tofor him whileable to offer hi all ging him out there with you But you obviously care for him some or you wouldn’t have took him to the ER"